A set of network devices having varying device attributes, such as varying attributes due to different operating system versions, different hardware versions, or different hardware platforms, may be efficiently managed. A syntax file may be used to describe constraints relating to attributes of multiple versions of the network devices. At least one device configuration file (DCF) stores version-based differences relating to the different versions of the network devices, the syntax file and at least one the one DCF collectively describe a set of constraints for the attributes of the network devices.